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Stilwell just short of second gold medal at Paralympic Games

Marieke Vervoort of Belgium celebrates as she wins gold ahead of silver medallist Michelle Stilwell of Canada (L) in the Women's 100m T52 Final on day 7 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Olympic Stadium on September 5, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

LONDON – A slip on her first stroke with her left hand caused a wobble that proved too tough to overcome Wednesday for quadriplegic wheelchair racer Michelle Stilwell.

The world record holder and reigning Paralympic champion at 100 metres in the T52 class had to play catch-up to Belgian newcomer Marieke Vervoort in the London Games final and while she was gaining, she simply ran out of real estate.

“I fought the rest of the way to come back,” said Stilwell, a Nanoose Bay, B.C., resident who earlier won gold at 200 metres. “If I had another 10 metres, I would have had it, but unfortunately it’s a 100-metre race, not 110.”

Vervoot was timed in 19.69 seconds, breaking Stilwell’s 2008 Paralympic record, but still finishing a second short of the Canadian’s two-month-old world record.

A double gold medalist at Beijing and the world record holder in the 100, 200 and 400, Stilwell had subtly questioned Vervoot’s presence in her class after Sunday’s win in the 200 when the Belgian finished surprisingly close to her.

Vervoot, who according to the Paralympic News Service became paralyzed in 2000 as a result of a rare disorder, has won wheelchair Ironman titles, but is racing in a Paralympics for the first time at age 33. She was initially classified as a T52, the class for the most severely disabled wheelchair racers, then moved up to T54 before being re-classified back to T52 earlier this year.

“But I’ve been asking for a long time for people to step up their game and give me some competition, so there it is. Kudos to her to come out tonight and have the race of her life because, ultimately, that’s what it takes to beat me.”

While Stilwell is considered a quadriplegic, she does have muscle movement in her upper arms and shoulders, but limited function with her hands and wrists. And it’s not the first time that she’s slipped at the start of a race.

“It happens. My left side is not my strong side, I’m more affected on my left side.”

She tried valiantly to recover, but was “pretty choppy” through the middle section of the race.

“A little bit of panic set in as I tried to recover. It was pretty overwhelming out there. I did the best I could, gave it everything I had. Silver is nothing to be disappointed at.”

But after pouring herself into preparing for London, after getting targetted funding from Own the Podium and after seeing her family – she is married with an 11-year-old autistic son – make numerous sacrifices to support her, it was still tough not to get “matching gold.

“And, unfortunately, I don’t get to hear O Canada again and sing it as loud as I did the other day. But there’ll be more races.

“My facebook page has grown by 3,000 people in the last couple of days and that’s incredible to be a part of, to be part of the Paralympic movement as it grows and really shines. I’m so grateful for that.”

Canada picked up a second silver on the track Wednesday when wheelchair racer Brent Lakatos, a Dorval, Que., product now living in Dallas, finished second in the men’s T53 800 metres behind Australian Richard Colman.

It was also the second silver of the Games for Lakatos, who deftly slid in front of Li Huzhao of China at the start of the stretch drive.

Lakatos said the fact the heats were Tuesday morning allowed him sufficient recovery time and he felt good coming into the race.

“The 800 isn’t my strength, so I’ll take a silver any day of the week. I knew if the race played tactically and I was able to position myself in a good spot . . . everything worked exactly as I was hoping.”

Lakatos, whose first silver came in the 400 on Sunday, will have a shot at third medal in the 200 metres on Friday.